Steam-engine.



PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

S. HICKS.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION IILED- JUNE 16, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

lllnrrien Sterne lf a rnnr (Division. I

SHELBYHIOKS, OF PROVIDENCE, KENTUCKY.

erase immense.

SPECIFIGATILQE forming part of Letters Patent Iiio. 726,;29, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed June 16, 1902. Serial No. 111,929. (No model.)

To all w/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHELBY HICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Websterand State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates, primarily, to reciprocating steam-engines; and one of the objects thereof is to provide an automaticallycontrolled valve within the cylinder whereby the builder may dispense with the ordinary steam-chest and its accessories.

Another object of the invention is to provide an effective and convenient reversing mechanism whereby the piston may reverse quickly and without liability of the engine dead-centering.

Other objects, as well as the novel details of construction, will be clearly described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompan ying drawings, in which V Figure 1 is a top plan view of the cylinder provided with the novel arrangement of inlet and exhaust ports contemplated in my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a similar view on the line 4 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a transverse sectional view through the inlet and exhaust ports, showing one position of the reversing-valve. Fig. 6 represents a similar view of the inlet and exhaust ports, showing the offset adjustment of the reversing-valve. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the reversingvalve. Fig. 8 represents a side elevation of the valve-rod within the cylinder, part of the piston being shown in section. T

The reference-numeral 1 designates a cylinder of preferred construction, the heads 2 and 3 of which are provided with segmental recesses & and 5, respectively. The upper walls of the recesses converge, terminating in an outlet or inlet, as the case may be, for.the escape of the motive fluid or its admission, according to which end of the cylinder the motive fluid is introduced. From the respective outlets or inlets, which for convenience we will term ports, diverge two passages 6 and 6 and 7 and 7.

Motive-fluid pipes are connected and communicate with the respective passagesand discharge into a valve-casing 8 at a con venient point on the cylinder. This valve-casing 8 is provided with two inlet-ports 9 and 10, through which motive fluid is admitted from a supply-pipe 11, having branch pipes 12 and 13, which communicate with the inlets of said valve-casing. Extending from the valve-casing 8 are two sets of pipes, eachset numbering two, which alternately supply the motive fluid and exhaust it from the cylinder. The manner inwhich the motive fluid is con veyed to the cylinder depends entirely upon the posit-ionof the valve 14: within the casing. By reference to Fig. 7 it will be noticed that the valve 14 is provided with a plurality of channels arranged at various angles in the body thereof. W'hen thevalve is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the motive fluid will enter the casing through thebranch pipes 12 and 13 and after passing through the channel 15 will be conveyed, through the medium of the pipe 16, which is in communication therewith, into the passage 7 and into the cylinder, shutting oif the passage 7 and its pipe 17, which also communicates withthe steamchest.

The inclined channel 18 in the valve 14 will communicate with the exhaust-pipe 19 in the top of the chest and with an exhaust-pipe 20, which leads therefrom and is in communication with the cylinder through the medium of the passage 6. Hence the reciprocation of the piston 21 within the cylinder will exert enough pressure to force the dead steam through the passage 6, thence through the pipe 20, and finally through the exhaust-pipe 19.. The piston 21 is provided on its opposite faces with cam-recesses 22 and 23, and immediately above these recesses I provide an opening through which projects a valverod 24, on which the piston is sleeved. This rod is journaled-in suitable bearings 25 and 26 in the respective cylinder-heads and is provided near its ends with slots forming valves 27 and 28, which register with the passages 7 and 7' and 6 and 6 alternately that is to say, the valve 27 closes the passages 7 and 7 alternately, opening the other, while the valve 28 performs a like function with regard to the passages 6 and 6 at predetermined points on the rod 2ei--and at the estimated forward and backward stroke of the piston I arrange downwardly-projecting pins or projections 29 and 30.

As the piston moves forward and nears the end of its stroke, the pin 29 will slide upon the cam-face of the recess 22,thus slightlyturning the rod and closing the port 7. This will cause the motive fluid to be cut off frorn the pipe 16 and will admit it into the pipe 17 and into the cylinder through the passage 7% Of course this pressure of motive fluid will reciprocate the piston 21 rearwardly, exhausting whatever dead steam is in the cylinderthrough the pipe 20. When the piston reaches the end of its rear stroke, the projection 30 will travel upon the cam-face of the recess 23, slightly oscillating the rod, bringing the slotted Valve 28 in communication with the passage 6 and incidentally with a pipe 31,which communicates with the steam-chest. The pipe 21 and the pipe 16 will have been cut out, owing to the fact that the passages 7 and 6 are closed. The motive fluid will pass through the inlet-pipe 11 and from the channel 18 of the valve 14, having passed through the channel 15, through the pipe 31, and into the passage 6, thence into the cylinder.

The slotted valve 27 will be in communication with the passage 7 and incidentally with the pipe 17 and will pass out through the exhaust-pipe 19 through the channel 18 in the valve 14:. The operation just described will be carried on in alternation successively as thepiston reciprocates Within the cylinder. In other words, at each successive stroke of the .piston the pipe 16 and its coinciding passage 7 will act as the inlet of the motive fluid to the cylinder and the pipe 20 and its passage 6 will act as the exhaust as the piston moves through the anterior to the posterior of the cylinder. When, however, the piston moves through the posterior to the anterior ends, the pipe 31 and the passage 6 will be the inlet for the motive fluid, while the pipe 17 and the passage 7 will be the exhaust.

When it is desired to reverse the engine, the valve 14 will be caused to assume a position within its casing, as shown in Fig. 6, in

which the motive fluid will enter through the channels 15 and 18 and exhaust through the channels 15 and 18. By turning in this position, it matters not whether the piston is at its forward or rearward stroke or intermediate the strokes, the exhaust will be changed to the pressure-passages and the pressurepassage will be changed to the exhaust.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the successive strokes of the piston will be sufficient to automatically open and close the various ports, thus dispensing with the common form of steam-chest, the complicated valve-gear, and other accessories accompanying the common type of reciprocating engines. what to me at this time appears to be the very best means of accomplishing the desired result, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown, as it is obvious that many slight changes may be made in the construction and relative arrangement of parts without materially departing from the spirit of this invention. I therefore reserve the right to make such slight changes and minor alterations as would suggest themselves from time to time and which come within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a steam-engine, the combination with a cylinder having ports at its respective ends, a reciprocating piston within the cylinder, a va1ve-rod within the cylinder, valves carried by the respective ends of the rod adapted to open and close the passages, projections on the end of the rod, and cam-recesses in the piston for engagement with the projections on the rod whereby the valves may be operated.

2. In a steam-engine the combination with a cylinder having two passages, one at each end, said cylinder being provided with recesses at its respective ends with which the passages communicate, of a reciprocating piston within the cylinder designed to move alternately to the ends of the cylinder but not within the recesses, and oscillating valves operated by the piston for alternately closing and opening the respective passages.

3. In combination with a cylinder of a steam-engine formed with end recesses and having inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, of an oscillating valved rod within the cylinder and means on the piston for oscillating the rod so as to alternately open and close the passages within the cylinder.

4:. The combination with the cylinder of a steam-engine, the heads of said cylinder being provided with segmental recesses, the upper walls of which converge terminating in outlet and inlet passages respectively, of an oscillating valved rod within the cylinder having valves arranged opposite the outlet and inlet passages, and a reciprocating piston adapted to operate the rod to alternately open and close the respective passages.

In testimony whereof I affix-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHELBY HICKS. Witnesses:

G. W. WYNN, HENRY GIVINS.

While I have specifically described- 

